Estela Ramirez to receive Sheryl V. Kerr Award from Women & Girls Fund

ChesMRC’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Estela Ramirez, has been nominated to receive the Sheryl V. Kerr Award presented by the Women & Girls Fund.

The Women & Girls Fund was pleased to announce the creation of a new annual award in memory of Sheryl V. Kerr who did so much to empower and improve the lives of of women and girls throughout her lifetime. Thanks to a generous gift from the Grayce B. Kerr Fund, of which Mrs. Kerr was Chair, the purpoise of this award is “to recognize or support a woman who has excelled in her field, or to support programs that empower and improve the lives of women and girls, or that further the annual strategic goals of the fund.”

The first ever recipients of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award are Estela Ramirez and Maria D’Arcy. Said the Women & Girls Fund, “These women together and individually, work to make positive improvements in the lives of women served by their respective organizations.”

Estela began working for the ChesMRC part-time in 2013 assisting with ESL courses, parent literacy and the Girl Scout program. In September 2015, Estela continued her career with the ChesMRC on a fulltime basis as the Hispanic Outreach Coordinator.

A key focus of Estela’s work at the ChesMRC has been to engage immigrant parents to get and stay involved with their children’s education and assisting these adults to overcome language barriers, learn new-life skills and advance their own education. In partnership with For All Seasons, Estela helped create a women’s group which has provided a safe, educational and fun environment for over 40 Hispanic Women that meet on a regular basis. The group strives to bring awareness, safety education and openness to the Hispanic female population focusing on women’s health, rights and risks.

Estela has been an integral part to the ChesMRC’s success and her knowledge of the Hispanic community is unparalleled. We will no doubt continue to see great things happen in our community from her efforts and are excited to watch her continue to succeed.

Source: Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center